The Magic of the Cape Malay cuisinein South Africa

The delightfulness of the Cape Malay cuisine in
South Africa with its delicate use of exiting mixtures of herbs and spices is pure magic.

With their soft, caramel skins and wide smiles, the Cape Malay people are a prized and proud
element of the South African culture.

No one would have thought that they would have such a large influence on South Africa's cuisine
as they did.

The Cape Malay people as we know them today, are descendents of the slaves that were brought
into the Cape Colony by the Dutch settlers in the 17th century.

Although called Malayans, most of them came from Indonesia, Madagascar and Srilanka in the Far
East, bringing along their sweet and sour culinary traditions and their creativity in the use
fragrant herbs and spices. No one would have thought that they would have such a large influence on
South Africa’s cuisine as they did.

The magic of the Cape Malay cuisine in South Africa is the delicate use of exciting mixtures of spices and
the use of fruit cooked with meat, marrying sweet and savoury flavours, with hints of spice, curry and
other seasonings.

The settlers in the cape colony made most of them work in their households and because many of them were
experienced cooks, they soon were in charge of the family kitchen, introducing their own traditional cuisine.

Cape Malay magic of fragrant herbs and spices - Cape Malay cuisine

They became very creative in adapting the local dishes with their own ingredients, using complex herb and
spice mixtures with sweet and sour sauces turn the simple settler stews into delicious bredies.

One of the most famous delicacies from the Cape Malay kitchen is "Bobotie". Traditionally this was a
"Monday" dish, made from the leftovers of Sunday’s cooking. The "Bobotie" recipe knows hundreds of variants.
An essential ingredient is "begrafnisrys" (funeral rice), rice with turmeric and raisins, so called because
it was often served as a funeral meal by the Cape Malayans.

Although introduced by the Cape malays, Bobotie has become highly popular in South Africa and is virtually
being regarded as an indigenous dish. A littler soaked bread is mixed with minced meat, preferably lamb and
flavoured with a mixture of fried onions, curry, apricot jam, fried almond shavings and sultanas. The
addition of lemon leaves ( or alternatively lemon juice) gives bobotie its distinctive aroma. Halfway the
cooking it is covered with a topping of egg custard to give it its attractive golden crust on top.

A good example of the Malay influence on South Africa’s cuisine. The word sosatie comes from the Indonesian
words "sesate" (skewered meat) and "sate" (spicy sauce). They are made with small pieces of lamb threaded
on thin wooden skewers, with small cubes of bacon in between. Un like kebabs, "sosaties" are marinated in a
curry marinade for up to two days. A popular delicacy at most South African "braais" (barbecues).

A famous and unique South African culinary experience. “Waterblommetjies” are found in shallow dams and
glens of the Boland region in the Cape from about May to November. With typical Malay creativity it is
combined with the slightly tangy taste of sorrel and the full-bodied flavour of mutton into a delicious
stew with a fine balance between salt, savoury and somewhat sour tastes.

Curry and Rice, a highly popular, almost indigenous dish in South Africa - Cape Malay cuisine

Served with a variety of sambals and atjars, Cape Malay curries are famous for their full-bodied flavour.
Making a colourful display of all kinds of local vegetables, meat and fish, they are not as hot as the
curries used in the Indian kitchen.

A hearty meat stew flavoured with bay leaves and tamarind or lemon juice with an exciting sweet-sour
flavour. The word Denning originated from the Javanese "dendeng", the meat of the water buffalo. Nowadays
however, cooks mostly use mutton.